Message from the director
Welcome to the School of Planning at Waterloo!
This is Canada’s largest and one of the longest-established Planning Schools in this country. Our School is an interdisciplinary community, reflecting and building on the learning and research culture that was established in 1969. We maintain strong connections with the Planning profession, and we focus on combining conceptually rich education with applied experience.
We think that this is such a great time to study and work in Planning. There is so much important work to be done. Our professors and students study, and carry out research that addresses, some of the most pressing societal issues such as affordable housing, climate change, environmental conservation and policy, active transportation, urban economies, participatory planning processes, and equity and inclusion, among many other subjects. We offer a range of subfields in Planning including social planning, environmental planning, community sustainability, urban design, transportation, housing, urban economics, heritage and more.
Located in the Faculty of Environment's LEED Platinum certified Environment 3 building, we are the only Planning School in Canada to offer programs at the Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD levels. Our BES, MA, and MES programs are accredited by the Canadian Planning Profession. Our students explore Planning practice and theory, and they gain practical experience through co-op jobs or internships. The PhD program welcomes scholars with career aspirations in academia or the policy worlds. We are proud to provide a high-quality, experience-based education that is the foundation for students’ future success, whether in Planning practice, related fields, or further studies.
We look forward to connecting with you.
Sincerely,
Mark Seasons PhD, FCIP, RPP
MA/MES Domestic application deadlines
Domestic application deadline January 15th. Please contact potential supervisors prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program and confirm that they are still accepting new students.
Quick links
News
Associate Professor Dr. Jeremy Pittman Invited to Join International Science Council's Global Roster of Experts
School of Planning Associate Director of Graduate Studies Dr. Jeremy Pittman and Dr. Michelle Rutty of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management have been invited to the International Science Council’s newly formed Global Roster of Experts. Designed to bridge the gap between science and policy, the roster was formed to ensure that global decision-makers have access to credible, timely, and context-specific scientific advice that can drive progress on the most urgent global challenges.
2025 GRADflix Competition - Now Open!
Attention, graduate students - the 2025 GRADflix competition has officially launched!
“Doug Ford’s Highway Tunnel Will Not Improve Transport or Housing”
Doug Ford recently vowed to build a 50-kilometre traffic tunnel below the 401 to cut traffic and support economic growth. School of Planning Professor Dr. Markus Moos argues this increased focus on car-centric urban planning will not only not fix traffic but will further contribute to air pollution and exacerbate urban sprawl, leading to an overall decrease in Ontario’s quality of life.